• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Bar Exam Toolbox®

Get the tools you need for bar exam success

  • I Failed!
  • Tutoring
  • Courses
    • Writing Help: Essays/PT
    • MBE Help
    • Self-Study Program
    • Options – California
    • Options – UBE
    • Options – FYLSE (Baby Bar)
  • Bar Exam 101
  • About
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Login

Write, Read, Rewrite: Using Model Answers to Game your Essays

March 18, 2020 By Elizabeth Knox Leave a Comment

Write, Read, Rewrite: Using Model Answers to Game your EssaysWhen the email notifying me that my grader had submitted feedback for my first MEE practice essay arrived, I was eager to see what they had to say. I felt good about the subject and thought I had a reasonable handle on the formatting.

I scored a measly 48%. I was shocked and confused.

I skimmed the feedback and then I read the model answers for the essay. I was dismayed: the models were comprehensive and elegant. By comparison, mine was clunky with large knowledge gaps. I couldn’t imagine going from that dismay to test ready within mere months. I put the essay away and moved on to another subject.

I did everything wrong after that first practice essay by not taking the time to properly review model answers. As my test prep went forward, I implemented new routines so that by the time I took the bar, I was confident and prepared to tackle the essays. Receiving feedback from graders is valuable, but self-evaluation will prepare you in a more meaningful way. Do not get hung up on the scores you get. Focus instead on making measurable progress.

Many states release model answers for each essay. The slog of writing multiple practice essays each week can leave you looking for shortcuts in your test prep. It can be tempting to give the model answers only a superficial read after you draft yours, but taking the time to really work through the model answers will make all the difference in your score. Glossing over the writing process is not where you want to conserve time. You will fare better on test day after you’ve written and self-evaluated as many essays as you possibly can.

Do your best to work closed book and within the allotted time for your essay. The MPT essays need to be done within 90 minutes and the MEE essays need to be done within 30 minutes.

As your writing journey progresses, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. The model essays are just that: the models.

The model answers chosen by the states are usually outstanding, but they far exceed what you actually need to pass the bar. Relying on the models as benchmarks for how you should be doing is a recipe for overwhelm and failure. Also note that the model answers can have mistakes. They are written by test takers, not by the bar examiners, so do not rely on them for perfect rule statements.

2. It is not enough to just read the model answers.

Download both of the model answers provided. As you read them, make notes about the issues that both answers contain. You can highlight these or make a chart – develop a system that works for you.

Now read your own essay again. Look for those same issues in yours. If you failed to include any of the issues that both of the other essays covered, you need to take the time to understand why the other essays incorporated the issue. Often failing to include the issues will happen because you didn’t know the law well enough to catch them. When this happens, you should review the elements of the rule until you know them cold.

Do you see issues that you covered, but the model answer did not? This is an area where you may have wasted time. The bar examiners did not think they were important enough to include in their chosen answers, so it is unlikely you would gain points for including them.

Now that you have reviewed the issues, make note of the overlapping facts in the model answers and then make sure you included those same facts. If you didn’t, spend time reviewing the fact pattern again so that you can see how the facts support your conclusion.

If you are working on a performance test, pay close attention to how the model answers are structured. Check to see that you followed the directions the same way. If your answer is structured differently, this is a sign that you need to take more care reading through the task memo. Following those instructions with precision is the key to succeeding. Sometimes students will include a statement of the facts when the instructions say to exclude this. This sacrifices points and time.

3. Rewriting your essays may be the most important thing you will do.

Many people dread this step, but this is where you can make the most improvement. Rewriting forces you to focus on any weak spots and it builds stamina. Doing it frequently will get you prepared for the grueling hours of test day writing. When you are done reviewing and comparing the model answers, applying what you learned from them to a new draft of your answer will help you develop a sense of the relationship between your rule statements and fact analysis.

If your rule statements are weak, rewriting them will help you review the law. Look at the notes you made about the overlapping issues and facts in the model answers. Now review your essay. Remove any extraneous facts and issues and spend time integrating the issues you missed.

You do not need to rewrite your entire essay. You will want to go through this process for many essays, so prioritize the sections where you found yourself struggling the most. Rewrite those sections, and take extra care to address each of the issues that overlapped in the model answers.

Now that you have rewritten the relevant issues, it is time to look at your overall essay structure. Make sure you maintained a strict IRAC/CRAC format and used appropriate headers and sub-headers. If you did not, take the time to make those changes too.

Dedicate yourself to improving your essays through rewriting – I promise you will thank yourself in July or February.


Ready to pass the bar exam? Get the support and accountability you need with personalized one-on-one bar exam tutoring or one of our economical courses and workshops. We're here to help!


 

About Elizabeth Knox

Elizabeth Knox is a graduate of Southwestern University and Harvard Law School. Elizabeth has built her career around civil and disability rights. She has spent time working and interning for the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. While at Harvard, she was a research assistant for two professors and researched different topics related to international human and disability rights and the civil rights era. She earned the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship and the James Vorenberg Equal Justice Summer Fellowship to support her summer work in civil rights. She was also a Harvard Law School Presidential Scholar.

After law school, Elizabeth clerked for the Honorable Robert Brack of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. She then worked in special education law before founding Access the Dream, a disability consulting practice. She continues to research and write about education and disability rights issues. Elizabeth is driven to help students of all backgrounds succeed in academic environments.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let us know you are not a spammer! * Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA.

Primary Sidebar

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Us

Want to pass the bar exam? Of course you do! We’re here to help. You’ll find lots of helpful free content at Bar Exam 101, in the Bar Exam Resource Hub, and on the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast. For more hands-on help, take a look at our courses and workshops and bar exam tutoring options. Please get in touch with any questions!

COVID-19 Updates

Please visit the COVID-19 updates page for the latest news on bar exam postponements.

Recent Posts

Dealing with Exam Day Surprises

Dealing with Exam Day Surprises

Unfortunately, on the bar exam and in life, we cannot account for every possibility. We can do everything we can to prepare for all outcomes but … [Read More...] about Dealing with Exam Day Surprises

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 185: Listen and Learn — Prosecution of a Criminal Trial (Burdens, Presumptions, Sufficiency)

Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! The topic of today's "Listen and Learn" episode is Criminal Procedure. Specifically, we're talking about … [Read More...] about Podcast Episode 185: Listen and Learn — Prosecution of a Criminal Trial (Burdens, Presumptions, Sufficiency)

Productively Waiting for Bar Scores

Productively Waiting for Bar Scores

Congratulations! The massive bar exam you’ve dedicated your time and energy to is over, and you can finally relax! Well, that is much easier said than … [Read More...] about Productively Waiting for Bar Scores

Studying for the Bar While Applying to Jobs

Studying for the Bar While Applying to Jobs

Applying to jobs during bar prep is normal and sometimes unavoidable. As much as you may want to devote 100% focus to the bar exam, it is a reality … [Read More...] about Studying for the Bar While Applying to Jobs

Supporting your SO While They Study for the Bar

Supporting your SO While They Study for the Bar

So, you have a significant other who is studying for the bar! Perhaps you’re also in law school, before or behind them on their journey. Perhaps … [Read More...] about Supporting your SO While They Study for the Bar

Need to Pass the Bar Exam?

Sign up for our free weekly email with useful tips!

Footer

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • I Failed!
  • Tutoring
  • Courses
  • Bar Exam 101
  • About
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Login
  • Privacy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Refunds
  • Contact

Copyright 2022 Bar Exam Toolbox®™